We have now crossed the 100‑day milestone of Derek McInnes's tenure at Rangers, and the period has been nothing short of a roller‑coaster. The new manager’s opening four fixtures ended without a win, and the side suffered a painful European elimination at the hands of Jablonec.
Yet, as the squad returns from the international break, their ambition is crystal clear: they want to sit atop the Scottish Premiership for the first time this campaign. That optimism is fueled by a refreshed roster and a run of six straight victories, which notably includes back‑to‑back triumphs in the Old Firm derbies. The atmosphere at Ibrox has revived, with supporters buzzing about the team’s renewed vigor. In this analysis we examine how a decisive summer transfer window laid the foundations for this dramatic turnaround – a foundation that McInnes knows must be built upon when Rangers face Kilmarnock on October 10.
Before diving into the minutiae, it helps to view the situation in a broader context. For the second summer in a row Rangers secured 14 new signings, but the two windows could not have been more distinct. To understand the contrast, rewind a year.
A fresh era had just begun at Ibrox: Russell Martin was appointed head coach, while the club’s executive suite was led by CEO Patrick Stewart and sporting director Kevin Thelwell. That promise quickly unraveled. Martin was dismissed after just 123 days, and Stewart and Thelwell soon followed suit.
Of the fourteen players brought in under that regime, only four remain in the squad today. Chairman Andrew Cavenagh later admitted that mistakes were made, issued a series of P45s and decided to adopt a more hands‑on approach. Some observers blamed Robbie Thelwell – listed as “head of recruitment” – for the previous signings. In reality, his title does not reflect his actual responsibilities; he works within the scouting department rather than overseeing transfers.
Fast‑forward twelve months and the decision‑making landscape has shifted dramatically. Working alongside Cavenagh are CEO Jim Gillespie, who joined in March, outgoing technical director Dan Purdy, Paraag Marathe, and Gretar Steinsson from the 49ers ownership group, plus former professional player Stig Inge Bjørnebye, appointed performance director in June after a stint as consultant. The new hierarchy evaluates potential recruits on a far broader set of criteria than before. Beyond raw ability, they assess how a player will mesh with the dressing‑room culture, injury history, resale value and other long‑term considerations.
Those factors, once peripheral, now sit at the core of the recruitment equation. In practice, Purdy scouts the market, Cavenagh and Gillespie sign off on the deals, and the entire process receives backing from the 49ers consortium and, ultimately, the manager himself. While no transfer window can be flawless, this season’s approach is markedly more unified.
Initially, Rangers aimed to bring in fewer players than the previous summer, targeting around ten signings. However, injuries and emerging opportunities pushed the final tally back up to fourteen. The leadership group defined the parameters, established the playing model for both domestic and European competition, and then handed the recruitment task to the newly empowered team – much like the January signings of Tuur Rommens, Tochi Chukwuani and Ryan Naderi, who were later made permanent. McInnes, a veteran of Scottish football, set a clear seasonal objective: to reclaim domestic glory.
The strategy to break Celtic’s Premiership stranglehold did not involve mimicking the Old Firm rivals’ possession‑heavy style. Instead, Rangers opted for a brand of football built on physicality, speed and intensity. The philosophy was simple – to beat Celtic you cannot be Celtic; you must play differently.
Compounding the tactical shift, the club also faced a leadership vacuum after the departures of captain James Tavernier and vice‑captain Jack Butland. The recruitment plan therefore emphasized younger, hungry players who could grow into leadership roles, while also reducing the average age of the squad – a goal already partially achieved in previous windows.
Chairman Cavenagh signalled a willingness to spend where necessary, but he also demanded that each signing possess upside – the potential to increase in market value and contribute to the club’s financial health. This created a complex checklist that could not be solved in a single window; it would take multiple transfer periods to fully realise. Early indicators are encouraging. The starting eleven that dismantled Celtic in the two pre‑break fixtures averaged under 24 years of age, compared with the rivals’ average of roughly 27.
That youthful spine featured six of the summer arrivals: goalkeeper Ivor Pandur, defender Olwethu Makhanya, captain Dan Neil in midfield, alongside James Penrice, wing‑back Minsu Kim and striker Kevin Kelsy. In the League Cup quarter‑final at Ibrox, Rangers displayed a cohesive identity – they were robust, swift, and relentless in winning second balls. A week later, at Parkhead, they reproduced that intensity while Celtic scrambled to find answers that never materialised.
Both the January and summer windows have been guided by a clear recruitment blueprint. The current roster now boasts a blend of speed, physical presence, ambition and the type of talent that could attract interest from larger European leagues.
That reputation is already reflected on the international stage: thirteen members of the squad have been called up for their national teams during the three‑week international window, and twelve of those are 26 or younger – a testament to the club’s youth‑focused direction. The list of notable young players includes Ivor Pandur (26), Dujon Sterling (26), Emmanuel Fernandez (24), Olwethu Makhanya (22), Minsu Kim (20), Nicolas Raskin (25), Dan Neil (24), James Penrice (27), Djeidi Gassama (23), Ryan Naderi (23), and Kevin Kelsy (22). Significant reforms to the recruitment process have already borne fruit, but September is far from a guarantee of success. Rangers still need to overtake Celtic in the league, navigate a challenging fixture against Aberdeen, and secure a place in the League Cup final, where they could meet either Hearts or Hibs.
Nevertheless, for the first time in many years, after a busy transfer window and consecutive Old Firm victories, Rangers head into the autumn with a solid platform that could finally deliver the success their supporters have been yearning for.